How Matt Bevin learned to love Mitch McConnell - Manu Raju and Kyle Cheney - POLITICOBattered by a bitter loss in a Senate primary last year, Matt Bevin steadfastly — and repeatedly — refused to endorse the victor: Mitch McConnell.
“You can’t punch people in the face, punch people in the face, punch people in the face, and ask them to have tea and crumpets with you and think it’s all good,” Bevin said after he lost by 25 points to the powerful Republican leader. “Life doesn’t work that way.”

Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System boasts of strong investment returns despite growing unfunded liability - Insider LouisvilleDespite being one of the most underfunded public pension plans for teachers in the country, the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System boasted in a press release today of “superior investment performance,” as the fund earned a return of 8.6 percent over a one-year period ending March 31.

DYCHE | A modest proposal for gubernatorial debates - WDRB 41 Louisville NewsA reader accused me of disparaging the Kentucky Sports Radio Republican gubernatorial primary debate in a recent column. That was not my intent.
The KSR debate was interesting and revealing. It probably affected the election's outcome.
I applaud KSR and every other organization that did a debate or panel during the campaign. All good faith efforts to inform voters about candidates and their positions are praiseworthy. And a little entertainment is OK, too.

Greater Louisville Inc - Kent's ColumnI spent yesterday cloistered at the Frazier with an impressive group of 50 education, business and government leaders including Mayor Fischer, JCPS Superintendent Donna Hargens, IUS Chancellor Ray Wallace and Hilliard Lyons CEO Jim Allen, amongst many others. The topic was 55,000 degrees and how our region advances post-secondary degree attainment. I know, sounds like a ball. But you know what? It was great. Yet so much remains to be done.

Divided Legislatures Produce Gridlock, Not CompromiseThere is at least one divided state that had a productive session this year, however. Legislators in Kentucky were able to reach agreement on issues such as job training, anti-drug legislation and changing the gas-tax formula. Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear tweeted that work on a domestic violence bill "was a paradigm for the entire session -- 2 chambers & 2 political parties working together to find common ground."

Will Ky. carbon compliance be "accidental?"Another news outlet is reporting that Kentucky won't have much trouble complying with pending limits on carbon pollution from power plants, despite the howls of protests from Kentucky political leaders.
Inside Climate News' headline today: "Kentucky May Accidently Comply with EPA's Clean Power Plan."
The premise of the story by Naveena Sadasivam is that Kentucky is stumbling into compliance as utilities swap out some of their oldest coal-fired power plants to natural gas.

May 27, 2015 – A Legislative Perspective on the Kentucky General Assembly with State Representative Rick Rand | Representative Rick RandAfter weathering several tough budget cycles, the state is on track to end the current fiscal year next month with much better news to report.
Two weeks ago, the Office of State Budget Director said that April’s General Fund receipts – which drive the budget – brought in a little more than $1 billion, a high-water mark that had never happened in a single month before.

What Actually Happens During a Kentucky Recanvassing? | Election LawCounty Clerks offices around Kentucky will be busy Thursday morning as they re-tally the votes in not just one, but two Republican primary races. (In addition to recanvassing the 83-vote margin between gubernatorial hopefuls Matt Bevin and James Comer, Republican Richard Heath has asked for a recanvass of his 1,427 vote loss to Ryan Quarles for state agriculture commissioner.)

Kentucky May Accidentally Comply With EPA's Clean Power Plan | InsideClimate NewsKentucky has consistently opposed federal efforts to impose environmental rules on the state's power plants. First, lawmakers passed a bill to exempt the state from submitting a plan to meet the proposed air regulations that work against coal. Then it sued the Environmental Protection Agency over the rule.

Al Cross | Bevin-Conway will be fully contestedBarring a recanvass that reverses his 83-vote margin, Matt Bevin will be the Republican nominee for governor.
That sentence would startle a politically aware Kentuckian who just got back from a month off the grid. Bevin, a Tea Party favorite, was supposed to be the "show" horse in the race with Agriculture Commissioner James Comer and former Louisville councilman Hal Heiner, but when those two got into a wrangle that a Bevin ad depicted as a food fight, that gave him room to cut through the middle and hit the wire first.

Ky. voters smarter than their politicians | Editorial | Kentucky.comAfter three weather-related disaster declarations in Kentucky already this year, it's no wonder that 53 percent of voters want a governor who believes human-caused climate change is real.
But, wait a minute, you say, two of the three disasters stemmed from massive snowstorms that cost governments a fortune to clean up and also caused flooding in March. All that snow and bitter cold disproved global warming, right?

Six questions with likely GOP nominee Matt BevinThe day after apparently winning his party's nomination for governor in one of the closest elections in Kentucky history, Matt Bevin was back to the daily grind, even picking up one of his nine children from school late in the day.

Thompson, Embry brief OC Chamber on legislative session – The Ohio County MonitorDuring a special-called meeting of the Ohio County Chamber of Commerce last Thursday, the Chamber invited Kentucky State Representative Tommy Thompson (D) and State Senator C.B. Embry, Jr. (R) to give an update on this year’s session of the Kentucky State Assembly.

Denham, West address ChamberState Rep. Mike Denham and State Sen. Steve West were the keynote speakers during the Maysville-Mason County Area Chamber of Commerce monthly meeting Thursday.
Road projects, the state pension fund, and replacing the necklace lighting on the Simon Kenton Bridge were just a few of the topics touched upon during the meeting.

Bevin benefits from GOP primary disarray, some say - wave3.com-Louisville News, Weather & SportsThe personal, messy accusations in the Republican primary for Kentucky governor have likely opened the door for Louisville businessman Matt Bevin, a fact that some in the GOP fear.
Agriculture Commissioner James Comer faces accusations that he abused his college girlfriend in the early 1990s. The allegations bubbled under the surface for months before the accuser, Marilyn Thomas, went public earlier this week.

Comment | I Know Jamie ComerI've known Jamie Comer my entire life. And I've never been more proud of him.
As the Courier-Journal spews venomous lies about Jamie to rescue itself financially — and now runs a column absurdly criticizing him for not responding months ago to accusations he learned about just this week — Jamie has stood unbowed and resolute.

Timing of Comer allegations suspect - Bowling Green Daily News: Our OpinionThe timing of allegations against Republican gubernatorial candidate James Comer by a former girlfriend from his days in college is very suspect and should be viewed with some degree of skepticism.
We are of course referring to the very odd timing of Comer’s former girlfriend, Marilyn Thomas, whom he dated while both were students at Western Kentucky University in the early 1990s.

Politics in Knobs of Kentucky: Senator Chris Girdler says Comer must Withdraw from the race!Sen. Chris Girdler of Somerset shares his view of the most recent attempt by the Comer-McDaniel campaign to link Conservative Republican Hal Heiner with Barack Obama!
"At first I thought it was a hoax or a spoof ad, but unfortunately it is a sad example of a desperate man willing to say and do anything to get elected," said State Sen. Chris Girdler, of Somerset, who is backing Heiner.

DYCHE | Republican race for governor roiled - WDRB 41 Louisville NewsI don't know how I will cast my ballot in the May 19 Republican governor primary. The main criterion for my vote is which of the four candidates -- Matt Bevin, James Comer, Hal Heiner and Will T. Scott -- has the best chance of beating Democrat Jack Conway in November.
The campaign was until recently relatively issue-oriented and reasonably tame by past Republican primary standards. It has now degenerated into a squalid affair of ugly accusations, finger-pointing, threats, and unanswered questions.

Team McConnell isn’t about to just let Matt Bevin become governor - The Washington PostBusinessman Matt Bevin is the guy some see moving up in the Kentucky GOP governor's primary. Bevin also challenged now-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in a primary last year.
These two things are not distinct from one another. Now that Bevin's chances appear to be on the rise in the May 19 primary (thanks to Agriculture Commissioner James Comer's problems), here comes Team McConnell to knock him down a peg or two.

INTERACTIVE | Kentucky's voter turnout over past decade As Kentucky's primary in the governor's race nears, a look back at the state's voter turnout over the past decade shows less than a third of registered voters cast ballots in primaries.

DYCHE | Questions for Jack Conway - WDRB 41 Louisville NewsThe four Republican candidates for Kentucky governor are going through a grueling primary campaign. It could make the eventual winner a stronger candidate or conceivably weaken him for the fall general election.
Facing only token opposition, presumptive Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jack Conway has gotten a free ride. Here are some questions Conway ought to answer.

Al Cross | Annual update on Kentucky political landscapeWELCOME, Derby visitors! This is your annual update on the political landscape in Kentucky, which keeps outdoing itself when it comes to political news. We’re a relatively small state that is the home of the country’s most powerful Republican, a top-tier GOP presidential candidate, the top budget writer in Congress, and the hottest governor’s race in the nation.

DYCHE | A Cruel April in politics - WDRB 41 Louisville NewsApril is gone after having once again borne out Eliot's characterization as "the cruelest month." Here are some political observations of how it mixed memory and desire and stirred dull roots with spring rain.

Jack Conway sits down with Local 6 as Kentucky governor's race r - WPSD Local 6: Your news, weather, and sports authorityWith less than three weeks to Kentucky's primary election, democratic gubernatorial candidate Jack Conway is talking about several issues.

DYCHE | EXACTAS - Pairing Kentucky Politicians and the Derby Hor - WDRB 41 Louisville NewsIt's Derby week in Kentucky! Here is a tip sheet pairing some of the state's top politicians with some of this year's Derby horses.

McConnell’s moneyFor decades, federal and state ethics laws have required candidates for public office to disclose names of their campaign contributors.
But — for big campaigns, at least — the average citizen has no hope of figuring it out. Reports filed by candidates are difficult to interpret and far too long to digest.

Al Cross | GOP ‘traveling caravan of ignorance’The four Republican candidates for governor are all smart people, but they are saying many dumb things as they try to appeal to the GOP base in the May 19 primary election.
This column isn’t about global warming, which all of them denied during a debate on the cn|2 cable channel last week. Denying the science of it seems to have become an almost tribal article of faith for Republican activists, but when comes to being governor, that doesn’t matter much.

Clinton campaign hires grassroots organizer in Kentucky | Politics and Government | Kentucky.comFormer Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's campaign has started the process of building a foundation in Kentucky in hopes of competing here in next year's presidential primary and beyond.
Clinton, who announced her long-awaited presidential campaign earlier this month, has hired Derrick Collett, a former field organizer for the Kentucky Democratic Party, to be her Kentucky grassroots organizer, a Clinton campaign official told the Herald-Leader.

College enrollment up for recent public high school graduates, statewide report shows | Our SchoolsTwo reports released today from the Kentucky Center for Education and Workforce Statistics include feedback on recent graduates from Kentucky’s public high schools about their transition to college and success in their first year of college.
(KyForward file photo)
The first report on college enrollment revealed that of the 43,176 Kentucky public high school students who graduated in 2012, 61.2 percent or 26,424 enrolled in some form of higher education compared to 60.2 percent of those who graduated in 2011 and 61.4 percent for 2010 graduates. (The report is based on 2012-2013 college enrollment data, not surveys of students. Reports are not provided for alternative programs, but students from those schools are included in the district-level figures.)

State legislative update - Harlan Daily Enterprise - harlandaily.comThe 2015 session of the Kentucky General Assembly is now history and there is much to report. In the House Majority, we began work in January with an ambitious agenda to address Kentucky’s growing heroin epidemic; stabilize the state’s Road Fund; and secure protective orders for dating couples in cases of domestic violence or stalking. We also sought to preserve the state’s future Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) payments which are helping diversify Kentucky’s farms; provide critical health care and offer early childhood development services throughout the commonwealth.

Ky. heroin deal reached on last dayKentucky legislators reached a last-minute agreement Tuesday on a comprehensive bill that will help tackle the state's heroin epidemic, and that includes just about everything Northern Kentucky anti-heroin activists were seeking and helped avoid the last minute disappointment of a year ago.

Editorial | Unfinished businessThe Kentucky General Assembly convenes for its last two days of the 2015 session Monday with an awfully lot of business unfinished.
Lawmakers will claim there just isn’t enough time to deal with all the many issues they’ve left hanging till the final hours of the session.
Don’t you believe it.

A legislative perspective - Floyd County Times - floydcountytimes.comWhile another round of record snow and cold kept the House and Senate from meeting for two days last week, both chambers were still able to finish work on several major bills and are set to pass even more in the three days we meet this week.

House Speaker Remains Optimistic Some Priority Measures Can Still Win Passage | WEKU Many Kentucky lawmakers are probably a bit worn out after another late night session in Frankfort Wednesday. It's become a tradition for state legislators to work a long day right before the end of the session break.

Covington residents could see insurance tax hikeIf Covington residents pay more on insurance, then the city could get new police cruisers, fire trucks and make other capital improvements.
That's the pitch that city staff gave Covington City Commission Tuesday evening.

Local News - Q95 FM - Eastern Kentucky's BestThree bills are now pending before the Kentucky General Assembly that could cap patient cost sharing, co-pays, coinsurance and deductibles, for prescription drugs.
This may seem like a great solution to many, however, the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers says the bills would drive up costs and limit the tools employers can use to keep coverage affordable, according to president and CEO Greg Higdon.

Legislators gather at BSCTC State gas tax among issues for Floyd Co. Judge-Exec. Hale - Floyd County Times - floydcountytimes.comThe Regional Legislative Town Hall Forum held at Big Sandy Community and Technical College’s Gearheart Auditorium on Tuesday evening yielded meaningful questions, including several from the audience, and candid responses from the legislators in attendance.

Comer Plans to Run a Populist CampaignAgriculture Commissioner James Comer announced he was running for governor back in September in his home town of Tompkinsville.
Tompkinsville is much smaller than Louisville where candidates Hal Heiner and Jack Conway are from, so we asked, does this race come down to an urban versus rural divide?

Worthy of note - top women in businessOur occasional feature, Top Women in Business, highlights some of the women around Kentucky who are making an impact in business, the professions, politics and economic development. The intent is to recognize not the household names, but those in key roles whose work ethic and body of work are making important contributions to commerce in the commonwealth and are worthy of praise.
The four women in this issue are among many The Lane Report editorial board has identified. We welcome your suggestions for others around Kentucky who deserve recognition for their efforts to boost Kentucky’s economy.

Grayson: 8 reforms to make Kentucky betterDuring 2015, Kentucky will experience an open-seat gubernatorial election for only the second time in 20 years. Given our state's financial situation, this election is the most critical one in several decades, and we should pay close to attention to the records and platforms of the candidates.

Window Closing For Potential Democratic Gubernatorial Candidates | WUKYTime is running out for any prospective Democratic candidates considering a run for the Governor’s Mansion this year. If no other major candidates file before the January 27 deadline, Attorney General Jack Conway could be headed for a coronation.

'CALL FROM THE CAPITOL'-LEGISLATIVE UPDATE WITH STATE REPRESENTATIVE/MAJORITY WHIP JOHNNY BELLThe Kentucky Legislature was back in Frankfort last week for the official start to the 2015 session. Keeping us all in the loop on what’s happening in Frankfort, Angela Briggs with WCLU News spoke with State Representative and newly elected House Majority Whip Johnny Bell in our first edition of this session’s ‘Call From the Capitol’:

Crowdfunding bill drawing attentionIn 2014, a few Owensboro residents are known to have used a Web-based site to raise money for business expansion, a film project or other ideas. The financing process is known as crowdfunding.
The 2015 Kentucky General Assembly likely will be studying this private investment mechanism aimed at helping small businesses secure needed capital while also protecting investors.

A legislative perspective - Floyd County Times - floydcountytimes.comEach year, the General Assembly has two distinct periods of activity: its legislative session, when laws are passed, and what is called the interim, when the House and Senate jointly review issues affecting the state.

Franklin Favorite > News > Previewing the 2015 legislative sessionKentucky’s retirement system, the increased usage of heroin, telephone service deregulation and tax reforms will be some of the topics discussed in the upcoming legislative session, according to State Rep. Wilson Stone.
The 2015 Regular Session of the Kentucky General Assembly is scheduled to begin on Jan. 6, and will last 30 legislative days.

Editorial: State park alcohol law should be expanded - The Morehead News: EditorialsThanks to a law passed in the 2014 session of the General Assembly, state parks located in legally “dry” counties can be authorized to sell alcoholic beverages if local voters agree.
In fact, voters in the Falls of the Rough precinct in Grayson County are voting today to decide if such sales will be permitted at Rough River Dam State Park.
The law is similar to one which lets golf courses sell alcohol if approved by voters in the precinct where the facility is located.

A legislative perspective - Floyd County Times - floydcountytimes.comAs students near the end of the semester, they are probably starting to think about the grades that will determine whether they have a good Christmas break or not.
For Kentucky’s educational system, our “report cards,” so to speak, have already arrived. They came earlier this fall from the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, a non-profit organization that has been a driving force behind education reform since the 1980s, and the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE).

Chandler nixes gubernatorial talk, for now - News - The Independent OnlineFormer U.S. Congressman for Kentucky’s Sixth District Ben Chandler said it was unlikely he would run for governor in 2015, citing a currently “unconducive” atmosphere.

Why has Pentecostalism grown so dramatically in Latin America? | Pew Research CenterTens of millions of Latin Americans have left the Roman Catholic Church in recent decades and embraced Pentecostal Christianity, according to a new Pew Research Center survey on religion in 18 Latin American countries and Puerto Rico. Indeed, nearly one-in-five Latin Americans now describe themselves as Protestant, and across the countries surveyed majorities of them self-identify as Pentecostal or belong to a Pentecostal denomination. Pentecostals share many beliefs with other evangelical Protestants, but they put more emphasis on the “gifts of the Holy Spirit,” such as speaking in tongues, faith healing and prophesying.

DYCHE | Status quo in Kentucky House - WDRB 41 Louisville NewsThe happiness of Kentucky Republicans with Mitch McConnell's landslide win in the U. S. Senate race was tempered by disappointment with the poor showing in the contest for control of the state House of Representatives.

cn|2 Pure Politics - State House races: Democrats holding onto 54-46 majority10:45 ALMOST FINAL TALLY — The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Democrats appear to have held a 54-46 majority after splitting open seat contests with Republicans and knocking off incumbent Rep. Toby Herald by a slight 14-vote margin.
Republicans picked up three of the six open seats and defeated two Democratic incumbents, Reps. Richard Henderson of Mt. Sterling and Jimmie Lee of Elizabethtown.
Democrats had 52 incumbents up for reelection and Republicans 42, with six contested open seats.

cn|2 Pure Politics - State Senate races: Republicans add two seats to their lead and may net another as Democrat wins judge-executive race11:00 p.m. ALMOST FINAL TALLY — Republicans Ralph Alvarado, Danny Carroll, C.B. Embry, Wil Schroder and Julie Raque Adams have joined the state Senate, giving the Republicans two additional seats and expanding their lead to 26-12 over Democrats.
Another could be on the was as Sen. Walter “Doc” Blevins won his race for Rowan County judge-executive.
Alvarado, of Winchester, represents to lone surprise of the election cycle, although many attribute Senate Minority Floor Leader R.J. Palmer’s decision to air a controversial ad painting his opponent as a prescription pill peddler to the Democrat’s loss.

Real voters have a feel for what’s happening - McCreary County Record: OpinionIt’s always good to get out of Frankfort and talk to real voters, the people who decide elections.
By now, we’ve heard about all Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell and his Democratic challenger Alison Lundergan Grimes have to say. We’ve seen all the polls, far too many negative television ads, and heard what the so-called “experts” say.

Will Cox, C.B. Embry Vie for Sixth District Senate Seat | SurfKY.comThe Sixth District of the Kentucky State Senate is being sought by Will Cox, D-Madisonville, and C.B. Embry, R-Morgantown.
Embry has a wealth of experience in city, county and state government having been mayor of Beaver Dam, Ohio County Judge-Executive and 17th District State Representative.
Cox is an attorney in Hopkins County, a former Madisonville City Councilman and mayor of Madisonville with leadership experience in handling a natural disaster.
Both candidates were invited to participate in SurfKY News' candidate video interviews for the 2014 General Election Nov. 4 in Kentucky.
Both candidates were asked the same five questions. Their responses are included in the videos interview below:

Marshall County Tribune-Courier - House race turns nasty in final weeks of campaignThe race for Kentucky State Representative in the 6th district took a decidedly nasty tone last week when automated political phone calls suggested those on the receiving end should “lock up their daughters.”

Beshear, Legislative Leaders Not Betting on Expanded Gaming in 2015 | WKU Public RadioKentucky Governor Steve Beshear will likely leave office next year without making good on one of his campaign pledges.
Legislative leaders say casino gambling is hardly on anyone’s radar for the 2015 session. Governor Steve Beshear told WKU Public Radio support appears to be waning even among proponents.

Legislators vow to protect teacher retirement system - Richmond Register: HomeAs local legislative candidates gathered Wednesday to answer questions from retired educators of Madison County, Faye Shehan, Kentucky Retired Teachers Association president, urged the group of about 50 former teachers to vote for candidates who would maintain the retirement system that has been in place for more than 75 years.

State's Top DFI Official: Ease Regulations for Community Banks | WEKUThe head of Kentucky's Department of Financial Institutions hopes to see some easing of federal banking regulations for community banks. Charles Vice testified earlier this month before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee. Vice says community banks shouldn't have to bear the punishment for problems they didn't create.

Beshear Still Pushing for End to State Ban on Nuclear Energy | Business LexingtonBY ERIK A. CARLSON
Following a press conference announcing a $20 million, five-year grant for energy research in Kentucky, Gov. Steve Beshear once again pressed for legislators to lift the state’s moratorium on nuclear energy in the state.
“The legislature is cautious about lifting that ban,” the governor said in an interview. “I think there is a feeling on behalf of some that somehow lifting the ban on nuclear is being disloyal to coal or some other form of energy. I think we’re getting past that point now. I think most Kentuckians realize we need an all-of-the-above strategy in the energy field, and nuclear is just a part of that.”

RONNIE ELLIS: Democrats look to keep grip on House - The Independent Online: Don't Miss ThisThe sense around the state capitol is that Democrats will hold onto their majority in the House of Representatives.
Some Democrats are downright cocky and some Republicans sound resigned. It wasn’t supposed to be this way; 2014 was the year Republicans would “flip the House.” A sexual harassment scandal, Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell’s name at the top of the ticket, and the widespread displeasure among Kentuckians of both parties with Democratic President Barack Obama were supposed to create a wave for the GOP.